Supervisors object to Forest Service off-highway vehicle plan

Joshua SeboldStaff Writer3/17/2010The Plumas County Board of Supervisors authorized Chairwoman Sherrie Thrall to sign a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture arguing for maintaining previous levels of off-highway vehicle use in local national forests at a meeting Tuesday, March 9.

County Public Works Director Bob Perreault brought the letter before the board, explaining Butte, Lassen, Shasta and Plumas counties were trying to all pass the same letter as a show of solidarity. He explained the Lassen and Shasta-Trinity national forests recently received "notices of decision" regarding their motorized travel management plans, which indicated less OHV use would be allowed compared to the previous arrangement.

Perreault said the Plumas Forest hadn't received its notice of decision yet, but parts of the Lassen National Forest extend into Plumas County.

The director explained the objections were mostly related to the fact that most existing "mixed use" roadways used by passenger cars won't be open to off-highway vehicles.